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VOL. 74—NO. 35
Willingham Gets
5 to 8 Years On
Murder Charge
Fred Willingham, white resident
of Jasper county, was found guilty
of voluntary manslaughter in con
nection with the fatal stabbing of
Sam Maddox May 10 by a jury in
Butts Superior Court Tuesday and
was sentenced by Judge Harvey
Kennedy to serve 5 to 8 years.
The case, which aroused keen in
terest, was taken up Tuesday and
consumed the entire day. The jury
returned a verdict after deliberating
about two hours.
Willingham was represented by
the Jackson firm of Watkins and
Garland, W. H. Key of Monticello
and Joe Ben Jackson of Gray. Solic
itor General Frank B. Willingham
prosecuted the case.
Willingham in his statement to the
jury claimed he acted in self-de
fense. Witnesses heard for the pros
ecution included Sheriff J. D. Pope,
W. H. Roberts and Mrs. Donie Free
man at whose home in the lower
part of the county the tragedy oc
curred.
Judge Kennedy
Will Speak To
Kiwanis Members
Judge Harvey Kennedy will be the
main speaker at the meeting of the
Kiwanis club Tuesday night, Sep
tember 2, it is announced by Clar
ence Whiten, program chairman.
The meeting at the clubhouse will
be at 7 p. m.
A full attendance of members is
expected to hear the Flint Circuit
jurist.
Tuesday night the club held a
Ladies’ Night meeting and picnic at
Indian Springs. This was booked as
a family night outing and in addition
to members and their wives, several
guests were invited.
No program was given and the
occasion was one of social contacts
and pleasure. During the evening a
fine picnic lunch was served on the
state park grounds. This ofiting was
one of the highlights of the summer
season and the attendance was no
tably large.
Rat Campaign To
Be Staged Here
First September
The Division of Sanitary Engi
neer of the State Board of Health
is cooperating with city
in putting on a rat eradication cam
paign here September 2-6. An officer
of the Macon oix'.ce will be in active
charge of the campaign.
During the campaign every effort
will be made to rid the community
of rats and general cooperation is
requested to make the drive of the
greatest practical benefit.
Poison bait will be furnished and
direction given for spreading the
poison where it will do the most good.
The city had a similar campaign
several months ago and hundreds of
destructive rats were destroyed. The
state board points out that rats not
only destroy vast quantities of food
stuffs but constitute a menace to
health.
t
F?UR butts county men
SERVE ON U. S. GRAND JURY
Four Butts county citizens, J. H.
O’Neal, C. H. Smith, A. C. Freeman
and W. L. Nutt, were summoned for
duty on the grand jury in United
States district court in Macon.
Dr. Kenney Will
Be Welcomed At
A Union Service
Churches of Jackson will hold a
union service at the Presbyterian
church here Sunday night at eight
o’clock to formally welcome Dr.
Harry G. Kenney who comes to the
church as pastor. Dr. and Mrs. Ken
ney arrived in Jackson this week
from Palmyra, Mo., where Dr. Ken
ney has served as pastor for some
time, and are occupying the manse
on north Mulberry street.
: . -'tv : £
Van Fletcher, elder in the Jackson
church, will preside at the service.
Special music will be a feature of
interest.
As minister of .the Jackson church
Dr. Kenney will preach his first ser
mon Sunday morning at the eleven
o’clock hour.
Dr. Kenney announces the follow
ing subjects for his sermons Sunday.
Morning, “Are We Riding the Wrong
Train?” and for the evening hour,
‘Lost on Jackson’s Main Street.”
He will serve the Fellowship and
Jackson churches, preaching at Fel
lowship on the first Sunday and at
the Jackson church the second, third
and fourth Sundays in each month.
Dr. Kenney is being welcomed by
people of Butts county. He is a min
ister of mature experience and has
served in churches in several states.
With a background of college train
ing and experience, he has estab
lished a reputation as an able minis
ter, and the local churches feel for
tunate in being able to obtain the
services of Dr. Kenney.
Although he has been an active
minister for several years, Dr. Ken
ney has never served churches in the
Atlanta Presbytery. Native of Atlan
ta, he claims the Atlanta Presbytery
as his own, and is glad of an oppor
tunity to serve the Fellowship and
Jackson churches and be affiliated
with work in the Atlanta area.
The public is cordially invited to
attend the services Sunday.
PROMINENT STATE
WORKERS EXPECTED
FOR CHURCH MEET
When the Kimbell Association con
venes with the First Baptist church
here next Wednesday a large num
ber of state leaders in the denomina
tion are exepected to be present.
The association will hold a two-day
session, beginning Wednesday and
ending Thursday.
Dinner will be served on the co
operative plan and the Jackson
church as the host church will serve
a barbecue Wednesday and will also
furnish the meats and drinks for
the second day with other churche’
bringing cakes, pies and other food.
Sermons by leaders, reports of
committees and discussionus will be
featured on the program.
JACKSON, GEORGIA, THURSDAY AUGUST 28, 1947
Harry Brown Be
Exchange Speaker
Thursday Night
Harry Brown, vice chancellor of
the University of Georgia, will speak
to the Exchange Club of Jackson
Thursday night at 7 o’clock at the
clubhouse. Rufus Adams is chairman
of the program committee.
Mr. Brown is prominent in the ed
ucational life of the state and is ex
pected to bring a message of rare
interest.
At the club’s meeting August 21
Judge Harvey Kennedy of Barnes'
ville was the speaker. This was a
Ladies’ Night meeting and the atten
dance was almost perfect.
In his short talk, which impressed
members with its sincerity, Judge
Kennedy said he would endeavor to
be honest and impartial as a judge
and to administer justice without
fear or favor to all concerned. Re
cently named in the Flint Circuit to
succeed Judge Ogden Persons of For
syth, Judge Kennedy has impressed
the people of the court with his de
sire to be an impartial jurist and to
expedite the business of the court
as much as possible.
Mature Cotton
Expected Early
in September
It is the belief of growers and gin
ners that cotton will begin to move
to gins here early in September.
Last year the county received two
bales August 28. For several years
the county has ginned cotton in Aug
ust, one year August 8, but this year
the crop is late.
It is the consensus that cotton has
scored gains during the past few
weeks. Some farmers report crops
up to average, but others report bad
stands and some weevil damage.
Most farmers are continuing to fight
the boll weevil.
Opinions differ as to the size of
the Butts county crop. Last year the'
county produced 4,053 bales and
5,168 bales in 1945 and 7,041 bales
in 1944.
The Georgia crop has been estima
ted at 575,000 bales and the Ameri
can cotton crop at 11,844,000 bales.
Gins in Butts county are being pla
ced in first class condition to handle
the 1947 crop.
FOOTBALL SCRIMMAGE
FRIDAY PITS SCHOOL
AGAINST ALUMNI
Jackson football fans will get
their first glimpse of the Jackson
High team in action Friday night at
8 p.m. when the students tangle
with a team composed of alumni in
a scrimmage game.
Both teams have been practicing
for several days but neither team
has had time to develop the polish
and coordination that comes with
long practice.
There will be no admission charged
for the scrimmage Friday night and
Butts county football fans are cor
dially invited to attend.
FLOVILLA, JENKINSBURG TO
HAVE SUNDAY SERVICES
According to the Rev. W. C.
Bowen, pastor, there will be preach
ing services at the Flovilla Methodist
church Sunday at 11 a. m.
Rev. Bowen also announces preach
ing services at the Jenkinsburg
Methodist church Sunday evening at
8 p. m.
Members and friends are urged to
note these special services which
come on the fifth Sunday.
Grand Jury Asks
County Board To
Ban Sale of Beer
The August term grand jury in
general presentments returned Mon
day afternoon recommended that the
board of county commissioners not
issue any more beer licenses.
On this point the presentments
said:
“We, the grand jury, find that
most of the cases brought before us
are for drunkenness. We believe
that th* major cause of this is the
public of beer and we again
ask that no more beer licenses be
issued in Butts county.”
The srand jury also approved the
sale by I the county of a lot between
Oak and Mulberry streets to the
Central Georgia Electric Mem
bership Corporation to be used as
the site for a building to serve as
permanent headquarters for the
agency.
The grand jury was in session the
first of last week and returned Mon
day to complete deliberations and
make the formal presentments. While
in session the grand jury investigated
many criminal charges and returned
a large number of indictments.
Van Fletcher served as foreman,
T. E. Robison as clerk and Nat Mad
dox as bailiff.
The presentments will be printed
as early as possible in the Progress-
Argus.
Jackson Seniors
Will Enroll At
State Colleges
A representative group of 1947
seniors of Jackson high school are
preparing to enter college this fall
for further training. The list as fur
nished the Progress-Argus by Prof.
S. W. Causey follows:
Bobby Hammond, Abraham Baldwin
Tifton; Jimmy Caldwell, Georgia
Tech, Atlanta; Juanita Harris, North
Georgia College, Dahlonega; Carolyn
Ham, Bessie Tift, Forsyth; Julia
Frances Spencer, Young Harris at
Young Harris.
Hugh Mallet and Alvin O’Neal,
Emory, Atlanta; Clifford Funder
burk, South Georgia College, Doug
las; Jack Patrick, Riverside, Gaines
ville; Loretta Finney, LaGrange Col
lege, LaGrange; Mary Alice Cole
man, Northeast Missouri State
Teachers College, Kirksville, Mo.;
Betty Browning, Asbury College,
Wilmore, Ky.
In addition to these twelve seniors,
many of those who graduated in 1946
and enrolled in college last fall will
resume their studies during Septem
ber, giving Jackson high school a
large number of college trainees.
Towaliga Group
Churches Meet
With Old Bethel
The Towaliga Primitive Baptist
Association, with seven churches in
Butts, Henry, Clayton and Pike
counties, will hold its annual meet
ing at Old Bethel church near Jack
son Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
September 5-7.
Elder A. C. Elliott of McDonough,
one of the oldest ministers of the
church, will act as moderator. Re
ports will be made at the meeting,
officers elected and other business
considered.
Delegates to the meeting will be
entertained in homes of members.
During the three days of the asso
ciation basket dinner will be ser
ved on the ground.
Butts County Schools Open Monday For
Fall Term With Full Quota of Teachers
Murder Trials
Magnet To Draw
Many To Court
With at least four murder cases
on the calendar, the largest crowd to
attend a session of Superior Court
since the C. A. Pittman murder case
in 1924 and the J. E. McNair mur
der case in 1925 was in evidence
Monday as the second week of Butts
Superior Court convened to hear
criminal cases.
In anticipation of the murder
cases, 92 jurors had been drawn to
report for duty Monday morning.
The number of colored folks pres
ent was especially large and every
inch of space in the balcony was
taken well in advance of the con
vening of court. Evidently there was
a determination not to miss the
I
thrills —if any—and it is fairly cer
tain that cooks, washerwomen and
farm laborers failed to report for
duty Monday.
Rarely has a rural county had as
many as four murder cases scheduled
for hearing during one week and the
occasion was so unusual that throngs
responded in the hope of hearing
the respective cases developed before
Judge Harvey Kennedy.
Monday was largely occupied with
hearing pleas of guilty and misde
meanor cases. It was not until Tues
day that murder cases were ready
for trial.
The following criminal cases were
disposed of Monday:
John W. Pippin, drunken driving,
3 months suspended or SSO; speed
ing, 3 months suspended or SSO. >
Luther Hicks, public drunkenness,
3 months or $36. •
Abe Grier, possessing liquor, 4
months or SSO.
Wayne Banks, possessing liquor, 4
months or SSO.
Marion Patrick, drunk driving, 3
months or SSO.
Milton Burk, drunk driving, 4
months or SSO; carrying pistol, 4
months or SSO.
W. H. Johnston, speeding, 3
months or s3’s.
Oscar Joe Head, carrying pistol,
3 months or SSO.
Simon Crowell, public drunken
ness, 3 months or SSO.
J. B. Hall, public drunkenness, 3
months or SSO.
J. H. Blankenship, public drunken
ness, 3 months or SSO.
Horace Grimsley, public drunken
ness, 3 months or SSO.
Hewlett Buchanan, drunk driving.
3 months or $65.
Horace Nutt, public drunkenness,
3 months or $35.
John M. Culpepper, public drunk
enness, 3 months or $35.
Marvin Johnston, drunk on high
way, 3 months or $35.
Grady Smith, burglary, guilty, 12
months suspended.
Frank Holloway, burglary, guilty,
12 months suspended.
John Turnbow, public drunken
ness, 3 months or SSO.
G. W. KINSMAN TO OBSERVE
85th BIRTHDAY ON FRIDAY
G. W. Kinsman, longtime resident
of Butts county, will observe his
85th birthday August 29. Native of
Canada, Mr. Kinsman came to Butts
county as a young man and during
a long residence has been active in
all county affairs. He was born Aug
ust 29, 1862, and writes, “I am
without an ache or pain and in love
with all mankind.”
Friends wish him many happy re
turns of the day
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$2.50 PER YEAR IN ADVANCE
Schools of Butts county, including
Jackson, Pepperton, Towaliga, Tua
sahaw and Indian Springs, will open
Monday, September 1, for the 1947-
48 term. Colored schools will open at
the same time, it is reported by F.
C. Hearn, county school superinten
dent.
The hours Monday will be from
9 a. m. to 12 noon. After Monday
daily hours will be from 8:65 a. m.
to 3:10 p. m.
There is a full quota of teachers,
Mr. Hearn discloses. Recently four
teachers here were eliminated by the
state as an economy measure but
there were four vacancies and a
shifting of personnel left the schools
with a full faculty.
This year for the first time schools
of the state are adding the twelfth
grade. This willl be accomplished
without interrupting the schedule in
any way, it is reported.
There will be short exercises at
the opening of the Jackson public
schools Monday at 9 a. m. Other
schools will begin the new year with
out formal exercises, Mr. Hearn said.
In advance of the opening of the
fall term teachers were required to
report to their respective schools on
August 27. There will be a county
wide meeting for all teachers, both
white and colored, at 2 p. m. August
29. At these meetings questions of
policy were considered and final
plans made for the new year.
The Jackson high school will con
tinue to be the senior high school of
the county and the junior high
schools will send their pupils to Jack
son for high school work.
Pupils from white junior high
schools are transported to Jackson
in busses. Three new busses have
been added in recent months and the
physical equipment is in the best
condition in years, Mr. Hearn said.
With few exceptions the bus drivers
are the same as for the previous year..
All schools of the county are head
ed by teachers of experience and
ability and it is felt that a year of
distinct progress will be made.
During the spring district school
bonds in the amount of $150,000
were voted and building plans are
now being considered by the board
of education and an advisory com
mittee. School officials believe that
new and enlarged buildings and bet
ter equipment will be made possible
within the next several months as a
result of the bond issue.
Russell Accepts
Bid As Armistice
Day Speaker Here
Senator Richard B. Russell has ac
cepted an invitation to speak in
Jackson o n Armistice Day
it was announced last week.
Plans are being made to make the
occasion an event of countywide in
terest. A barbecue will be served and
the program, sponsored jointly by
the American Legion and Veterans
of Foreign Wars, will likely develop
plans for the community clubhouse.
The time and place and other de
tails of the Armistice Day meeting
will be given later.
VETERANS OFFICIAL BE
IN JACKSON SEPTEMBER 4
Evan F. Jordan, representative of
the State Department of Veterans
Service, will be in Jackson Thursday,
September 4, instead of Monday,
September 1, which is Labor Day
and a national holiday. This arrange
ment is for one week only and after
next week regular schedule will be
resumed.